Retribution
by Cory H
Summary: In a post-war Arcadia, peace previals over all. But a new power with is rising in the Council, and its influence goes deeper than anyone thinks...Old enemies return, new enemies arise, and friendships are strengthened...


Chapter 1  
  
It had been a year. A year since the war. A year since the powers of Galcian and Ramirez almost plummeted the world into darkness. A year since the lost continent of Soltis rose from Deep Sky and became the sanctuary for Evil. A year since the Rains of Destruction fell upon Valua and ended the lives of millions. A years since Zelos rose and Arcadia almost fell. A year since the combined powers of good defeated Galcian and his sky fortress, Hydra. A year since Vyse, Aika, and Fina, with the help of Gilder, Drachma, Enrique, and the crew of the Delphinus defeated Ramirez and Zelos, and saved Arcadia. A year since the Blue Rogues overcame the forces of evil and brought good back into the world. A year.  
  
Much had changed during that year. A Council was set up in a new, rebuilt Valua in which all nations came together to discuss and form international law. The city of Valua was undergoing a great reconstruction; rebuilding the capital city after the Rains of Destruction was a daunting task, with funds coming from all over the world, but the money was well spent, and Valua was looking better than ever, even though the city was only 65% complete. Enrique has become the King of Valua, and was thought to be the best ruler since Carlos V, 315 years ago.  
  
To the east lay Yafutoma, the great oriental nation. Daigo had assumed the throne as Emperor of Yafutoma, and the surrounding lands. He had united the various outlying provinces, including Mt. Kazai, previously the home of Bluheim, now a gigantic monestone mine, and Yafutoma quickly rose to be Arcadia's leading moonstone exporter as their economy boomed. Separating Valua and Yafutoma remained the mysterious Dark Rift. Only one path had been carved through the stormy tumultuous barrier, discovered by Vyse a year before when he traveled to Yafutoma, and it was now run and patrolled by the Council Navy. This single lane through, named the Vyse Strait, was used by both civilian boats and military warships alike, with non-Council ships having to pay a small toll to get through. Each stretch of the rift was patrolled by Council spellships and warships, for there were still creatures lurking in the lanes.  
  
Southeast of the Valua was the land of Nasr, which suffered greatly from the war. Originally the largest trading country in Arcadia, the war and the destruction of Nasrad totally obliterated their economy. The old Nasultan stepped down after the war, and his successor, Nasultan Ahmed II, was a greedy and corrupt ruler, taxing his subjects excessively and accumulating an enormous amount of wealth for himself. Despite stealing money from his people, the Nasranians lived a free life. To the east, and somewhat isolated from Valua and Nasr la Ixa'taka, the jungle nation. Ixa'taka was still fairly isolated from the rest of Arcadia, but the council had set up a few outposts among the trees. A few logging companies bought tracts of land to cut down trees to make lumber, and the famous brand Garpa Grove started to harvest garpa fruits from the eastern side of that land.  
  
To the extreme north and south lay the ice lands of Glacia. Glacia had been colonized after the war, with the capital being the great Deep Sky city called Glacia. Glacia was the only nation allowed by the council to have Deep Sky capable ships. The enormous amounts of air pressure exerted by Deep Sky travel would be more than enough to crush even the most reinforced Valuan ship without the proper protection, so armored hulls were necessary. First developed by Admiral DeLoco of the Old Valuan Navy, the Council had improved and upgraded the special protection. Of course, Deep Sky Plating was also available on the black market, if you knew where to find it. The leader of Glacia was the mysterious King Archae, who was elected by the colonists a few weeks after the colony was officially settled. No country officially sponsored the colonization, but several companies donated money to the Council-approved expedition in hope that they would see profits from the colony.  
  
Of course, scattered throughout Arcadia were the noble Blue Rogues. Since there were no more evil empires to rob from, the Blue Rogues because the peacekeeping forces of Arcadia. Dyne had stepped down from the position as the leader of the Blue Rogues(although he still was the leader of Pirate Isle), and his son Vyse the Legend, Hero of Arcadia, had taken has place as Grand Rogue. The main base for the Blue Rogues had moved to Crescent Isle, where Vyse had set up his base about a year before. Vyse had increased the size of the hangar to hold two more ships, and had also created more living quarters for his crew, which was growing in numbers by the week. Vyse and his crew got a new ship, the Belleza, but it was the same design the old Delphinus that they pilfered from Valua back during the war. The only difference was an upgraded Moonstone Cannon, a larger bridge, and a darker blue coloring to the outside. Now there were still a few Black Pirates still roaming the seas, but the Blue Rogues quickly disposed of any they came across.  
  
Arcadia had gone from a war-torn world to a peaceful planet in a year. Commemorating the one-year anniversary, the Council designated June 18 as Triumph Day, marking the day when Vyse and the Blue Rogues defeated Galcian and Ramirez. Celebrations were taking place all around the world, each one unique to their own culture. Valua saw their newly-commissioned Valuan Guard march through the city, gold and black banners waving triumphantly in the summer breeze. Giant kites flew over Yafutoma, Emperor Daigo showing his hidden talent for guiding the mammoth gliders through the sky. Nasr showed off their new batches of fireworks, bursts of red and orange filling the night sky with vibrance and light. The natives of Ixa'taka concocted the most potent form of loqua yet, so strong that a singe mug of the stuff would knock out a 350-pound Yafutoman sumo wrestler. The Glacians fired shells into the stratosphere to create a beautiful aurora; the sky was alive with lights almost as beautiful and mesmerizing as the Rains of Destruction, though hardly deadly at all. Over on Crescent Isle, the Blue Rogues were holding their own little celebration. Vyse had imported a little culture from every country, but the highlight of the night was definitely the Ixa'takan brew. All the partiers were careful not to drink too much, but they had their fills of the domestic stuff from Valua. The life of the party was Gilder, who downed three mugs of the Ixa'takan brew before passing out, but the rest of the crew had taken his unconscious body and had fun with it, putting it into various embarrassing positions and taking pictures of them.  
  
Vyse had just made a mental note to get copies of the photos when Aika walked up to him. Dressed in her usual orange-ish outfit with her red hair up in two ponytails just as Vyse had always known her, Aika was a stunning example that beauty and deadliness could come in the same package. Strapped to her side was her trademark boomerang that she had put together from pieces of the Hydra, Galcian's destroyed ship. Currently holding a blue moonstone, it emitted a soft cyan light.  
  
"Hey Aika, have you seen Fina anywhere?" Aika shook her head.  
  
"Sorry Vyse, I haven't seen her for a couple of hours." Vyse nodded, took a sip of his drink, and surveyed the room. Gilder was slumped in a chair with his finger up his nose, Domingo was dancing on the map table, and Lawrence, in a rare change of character, was actually talking to people and having a good time. Vyse decided he needed a breath of fresh air, and stepped out the heavy door to the observation platform high above the island. Standing there, in a shimmering white dress and silver veil, was Fina. She sighed and leaned on the railing, looking upward at the sky and the Yellow Moon, its piercing light eerily illuminating her face with a pale yellow glow. Vyse walked up next to her.  
  
"You doing OK, Fina?" he asked. She just sighed and started at the sky. Vyse looked up and watched as a moonstone streaked across the sky. He decided to ask again.  
  
"Fina, c'mon tell me, what's going on?" Fina looked down at the rows of houses and buildings of Crescent Isle, silent in the moonlight.  
  
"It's just all coming back to me now, you know," Fina said, chocking back tears, "It's been a year, I should be over it now, but it was so much.Ramirez, Galcian, the Elders sacrificing themselves, all those poor Valuans killed by the Rains of Destruction.oh Vyse!" Fina sobbed and buried her head in Vyse's shoulder. For a couple minutes, he listened to Fina's soft sobs and just held her, comforting her.  
  
"Fina, I know those were horrible times, but it's over now. We won. We beat Evil. We brought back good into the world," said Vyse. Fina wiped her eyes and looked up at Vyse. "You can't just remember the bad things," he said, "and you can't dwell on the past and let it get you down, either. We all have to move on." Fina wiped her eyes and looked up at Vyse.  
  
"Vyse," she said, "I'm glad you're here for me." Vyse smiled and said,  
  
"And I'm glad you're there, Fina." Just then, Cupil flew up from the ground and chirped at the two, mainly Vyse. Vyse suddenly got a puzzled look on his face; he still hadn't figured out much of Cupil's language, although he could understand simple words, such as 'give' and 'cham' and even sometimes 'now.' Fina laughed.  
  
"Oh Vyse, you've forgotten about the Council meeting tomorrow!" she said. Vyse grinned and blushed, his face turning dark in the yellow moonlight.  
  
"Well I guess we better get to bed, then!" he said.  
  
"Goodnight, Vyse."  
  
"Goodnight, Fina."  
  
Fina gave Vyse a kiss on the cheek and took the platform down to the ground. Vyse watched as Cupil and Fina walked into their room and her light turned out. Vyse smiled a blissful smile and looked up at the night sky. The stars twinkled and another moonstone streaked through the sky. It left a green trail in the darkness, which faded until it was nothing more than a distant memory. 


End file.
